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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26922586">Stranger in The Crowd</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarylStorey/pseuds/DarylStorey'>DarylStorey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gravity Falls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Stanford graudation, Stanly wants to be there for his bro, fiddleford is an oblivious sweetheart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:41:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>822</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26922586</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarylStorey/pseuds/DarylStorey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Graduation is quiet the accomplishment, Fiddlford bumps into a stranger with a familiar face.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stranger in The Crowd</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatabitCryptic/gifts">ThatabitCryptic</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fiddlford couldn’t help but be proud. he wasn’t the first in his family to finish college, much to several of his classmate’s surprise. He was the first in this generation, a close thing. His family had come and his back was just about numb from the back slaps.<br/>

He remembered introducing his friend Stanford to them. The freshly minted scientist had stared at them and received their praise and congratulations like a man encountering extraterrestrials for the first time. Then his friend had hastily introduced the engender to his own family, and a few things suddenly made sense.<br/>

Stanford’s mother had been warm enough hugging Ford and fussing over his collar and tie. She passed on a message from an older brother who couldn’t make it, but her displays of affection seemed restrained. Like she wanted to say more and make a larger deal of her son’s achievement. Her eyes kept flitting back to the shadow hulking behind mother and son.<br/>

Fidds did not like the look of Ford’s father. The man had managed to glower at the engineer threw his mirrored lenses. Ford was the first person in his family to finish college, and yet this man was looking at his son as if a celebration of this accomplishment was a waist of his time<br/>

“Ya find a job yet”, “How much funding do you have left”, “When am I going to see returns on this investment of mine” the questions where barked out like accusations.<br/>

Ford had answered meekly enough until muttering that he should probably go get in place for the ceremony<br/>

Fidd’s stomach squirmed uncomfortably at the fresh memory of the man. Any way the ceremony was over, his family was going to take him for a celebratory meal and had offered to brine his friend “His family is around somewhere too”<br/>

“Well then invite the bunch” his mother said with a smile brighter than the sun “the more the merrier”<br/>

So know Fidds was wading his way through a sea of blue gowns looking for his friend to invite him and his kin along to a friendly meal. He had a sneaking suspicion that if Ford didn’t come with him is graduation celebration wouldn’t go much past a stiff goodbye to his mother in the parking lot.<br/>

Fidds spotted a familiar profile and rushed forward “Ford! Hay Ford!” Looks like Stanford had already managed to change out of his cap and gown. had he really let his hair get that long? Ya finals and completing their respective theses had been a whirlwind and not much sleeping or eating had happened much less a haircut.<br/>

“Jees Ford what could wait to ditch the get up or what” Fiddlford’s hand lands on his friend’s shoulder.<br/>

And a stranger jerks around to face him “o I’m sorry I thought you were my friend”<br/>

The man in front of Fidds really dose look like Ford, a little rougher looking, a bit more tired. For a split second Fidds thinks he sees fear in the man’s eyes but then it’s gone replaced by a friendly smile. Suddenly the difference is striking. This man seems so open warm and just “big” where Ford is withdrawn and more small and intense.<br/>

“Naw it’s ok, Hal Forester,” Hal holds out a big five finger hand.<br/>

Fidds notices the knuckles are swollen and bandages so he shakes the offered hand gently<br/>

“I’m here for my brother’s graduation” a gleam of pried is in the big man’s eyes as he speaks “first one in our family to even go to college and he graduates with 4 doctorates, he’s a genius on his way to greatness”.<br/>

The way the man’s face lights up warms Fidds heart, this is how family should react to such an achievement. “He sounds like quite the fella, he’s awful lucky to have a brother like you to celebrate with”<br/>

Again something flits across the man’s face that Fiddlford can’t make sense of, pain, embarrassment? “Ya” the grin gets sheepish “well I’m not much, nothing to brag about but I wanted to be here for him”<br/>

“As family should” Fidds pats the man on the shoulder “I’m sure he’s glad you came”<br/>

Hal seems to notice something behind Fidds and the grin is back “well I better go find him, I think your friend might be over that away” and he’s disappearing into the crowed<br/>

“Thank you,” Fiddleford waves a friendly goodbye, then something occurs to him “wait I didn’t tell you... “<br/>

“Hay Fidds!” Ford walks out of the crowd interrupting Fidd’s thought.<br/>

“Ford! I’ve been looking for you my family want you and yours to join us for dinner “<br/>

Fiddlford didn’t think about Hal Forester again for many years. Not till his mind was melting away to madness and a stranger with five finger on each hand replaced his friend who had disappeared without a trace<br/>

Funny Ford never mentioned having a twin.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks to Thatabitcryptic's insatiable appetite for angst and fluff i'm know doing almost daily writing drills.<br/>this one is actually worth posting, hope you enjoy.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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